Newz Forum: BOXING: Maskaev earns split decision over Defiagbon

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Veteran heavyweight Oleg Maskaev picked up his seventh straight victory Friday night, earning a split decision over previously unbeaten David Defiagbon in a 10-round bout.

The 35-year-old Maskaev (29-6, 24 KOs) appeared to clearly beat Defiagbon (21-1), a native of Nigeria who won a silver medal for Canada in the 1996 Summer Olympics. He scored the only knockdown with a sharp right in the sixth round and kept Defiagbon off balance and on the defensive.

Judges Emil Conforte and Eugene Grant had Maskaev winning comfortably, with Conforte scoring the bout 98-92, and Grant 96-93. But judge Robert Grasso scored it 95-94 for Defiagbon.

"You can't say there aren't any (outstanding) heavyweights out there, because there are a few," Maskaev said. "But it's also true that anybody can beat anybody in this division."

In a co-feature, unbeaten heavyweight Brian Minto (18-0, 11 KOs) of Butler, Pa., score a one-punch, 10th-round knockout over Vinny Maddalone (21-2), of New York.

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